1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bail stop which, when used as part of a lawnmower control system having a U-shaped bail rotatably coupled with a lawnmower handle, prevents rotation of the bail beyond a selected position. The configuration of the bail stop eliminates the need for fasteners of any type in order to couple the bail stop with the lawnmower control system. More particularly, this invention relates to a bail stop including a centrally-apertured, planar, circular body having a pair of opposed, outwardly extending, circumferentially spaced-apart projections.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Government regulations among other factors have necessitated inclusion of many safety devices on power lawnmowers. One such safety device is a mower blade control bail rotatably attached to the handle of a lawnmower. The bail is linked to the mower blade clutch control and biased forwardly to a clutch-disengaged position.
To operate the mower the operator must grasp the bail, pull it rearwardly to engage the mower blade clutch, and hold it in this position while operating the lawnmower. When the operator releases the bail, it automatically rotates forwardly to disengage the mower blade clutch which stops rotation of the mower blade. In this way, if the operator loses control of the mower or leaves the mower unattended, the blade stops automatically thus eliminating a potential cause of injury.
In the blade control system as described above using a bail rotatively attached to the lawnmower handle, is it necessary to limit the forward travel of the bail to prevent damage to the control system and to prevent the bail from moving forwardly to an inconvenient position. Known prior art devices limit the forward movement of the bail by the provision of a "bail stop" attached by fasteners to the bail or the handle. The use of fasteners increases the installed cost of bail stop because of additional installation labor, additional parts handling, and higher manufacturing costs. Thus, the known prior art points out the need for a bail stop which is inexpensive to manufacture, requires minimal labor to install, and which reliably limits bail travel.